It didn't take long for Ross Colton to fit in with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The forward was chosen in the fourth round (No. 118) of the 2016 NHL Draft and scored a goal on his first and only shot of his NHL debut, a 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24, 2021. He joined Nikita Kucherov as the only players in Lightning history to score a game-winning goal in their first NHL game.
It didn't take long for Ross Colton to fit in with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The forward was chosen in the fourth round (No. 118) of the 2016 NHL Draft and scored a goal on his first and only shot of his NHL debut, a 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24, 2021. He joined Nikita Kucherov as the only players in Lightning history to score a game-winning goal in their first NHL game.
Colton's hockey career evolved after two seasons with Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League (2014-16). In 2015-16 he tied for second in the USHL with 66 points (35 goals, 31 assists) in 55 games.
He signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Lightning on June 26, 2018, following two seasons at the University of Vermont. He signed a one-year contract Oct. 14, 2020 after finishing second for Syracuse of the American Hockey League with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 62 games.
Colton saw a regular role with the Lightning during the 2020-21 season with forwards Kucherov and Steven Stamkos out, scoring 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in 30 games.
He scored six points (four goals, two assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Lightning repeat as Stanley Cup champions. His goal in the third period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Second Round sealed a 2-0 win to eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes, and he scored at 13:27 of the second period in Tampa Bay's Cup-clinching 1-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Final.
Colton signed a two-year contract Aug. 9, 2021, avoiding an arbitration hearing.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- USHL First All-Star Team (2016)
- Hockey East All-Rookie Team (2017)
